The One to Beat

Mater Dei has had one of the county’s most successful high school football programs of the decade, with four appearances in the Southern Section Division I final, three Division I championships--including last year--and two USA Today mythical national championships.

Now, the Monarchs are chasing history.

Should the county’s top-ranked team (and second in the USA Today rankings) run the playoff table the next four weeks, the 10-0 Monarchs would be the first county team to win back-to-back Division I titles since Servite earned Big Five championships in 1982 and 1983.

Mater Dei (which won back-to-back lower division Northern and Southern titles in 1956 and 1957) can go one better than Servite. Neither Friar champion went undefeated; the best team was in 1982, when Servite won 11 in a row after losing the season opener to Cincinnati Moeller.

Since 1914, when the California Interscholastic Federation began listing champions, there have been several county teams that have won titles in consecutive years.

Brea Olinda won lower division Class A championships in 1961 and 1962. and the Class AA title in 1963. El Modena was the Southern Conference titles in 1983 and 1984; El Toro won the same conference championships in 1986 and 1987. And Edison won back-to-back Big Five Conference titles in 1979 and 1980.

Irvine was the Division II winner in 1991, and won the Division IV championships in 1992 and 1993. Los Alamitos won the Division III championship in 1991, was co-champion in Division II with Esperanza in 1992, and won Division II outright in 1993.

But since the championships were broken into divisions in 1988, only Mater Dei and Fountain Valley have won the Division I championship, and neither has won two in a row.

So the Monarchs, who went 14-0 in winning the championship last season, and bring a 24-game winning streak into the playoffs this year--the county’s fourth longest such streak behind Los Alamitos (47), Edison (32) and Esperanza (27)--will try again.

The last time they had a chance at consecutive championships was in 1995, but Los Alamitos defeated the Monarchs in the quarterfinals, 23-14.

“Our team goals start with wanting to win the [section] championship,” Coach Bruce Rollinson said. “This year the opportunity to win back-to-back was emphasized from the first workouts.”

But Rollinson said it will be more difficult for Mater Dei to win the championship this time.

The bigger obstacles are outside the county.

Moore League champ Long Beach Poly, ranked ninth by USA Today, is also 10-0. The Jackrabbits were blasted by Mater Dei, 42-13, in last year’s semifinals.

Del Rey League champion Los Angeles Loyola has gone to the Division I final the past two years, and won it all in 1990. La Puente Bishop Amat--another Del Rey team which won Division I titles in 1992 and 1995, and whose only loss this season is to Loyola--is poised to go deep in the playoffs.

Also lurking are Citrus Belt League powers Rialto Eisenhower (which won the league title) and Fontana, which won Division I championships in 1993 and 1989 respectively, and Redlands.

County challenges to the Monarchs’ reign will come from Sunset League champion Esperanza, Los Alamitos and Fountain Valley. Fellow South Coast League residents Dana Hills, Mission Viejo and San Clemente would love another shot at the Monarchs.

“I think it’s the most experienced group of teams that I’ve seen in a while,” Rollinson said. “I don’t think you will get too many easy breaks. In Week One, I look for two major upsets. I say that because there will be strong first-round matchups.

“I always believe it’s how healthy you are when start the ‘new season,’ which is how we approach the playoffs. We tell the kids the difference is there is no Monday to correct the mistakes if you lose. Instead, it’s an equipment turn-in day.”

No one expects Mater Dei to give away its title, however. The Monarchs have no serious injuries, a full squad, and plenty of confidence.

“They execute their offensive schemes so well,” Dana Hills Coach Scott Orloff said. “They pass as well as they run; that’s what makes them so tough to defend. You have to be able to score a lot of points to beat them.”

As befitting an undefeated team, the Monarchs are talented on both sides of the ball.

The defense, led by linebacker and leading tackler Kevin Mitchell (84 tackles, 13 for losses), has five shutouts and given up 67 points in 10 games. It’s not overly blessed with speed or size, but has played smart and rugged, rarely giving opponents opportunities with silly penalties or blown assignments.

“I think they are a better defensive team than they were last year at this time,” Long Beach Poly Coach Jerry Jaso said.

On offense, Mater Dei’s biggest weapon is running back Mike McNair, whose school record 1,885 yards is the county’s second-highest total behind Tustin’s DeShaun Foster.

Foster’s phenomenal season (2,355 yards, 43 touchdowns)--along with Laguna Hills’ Mike Jones (1,827 yards, 29 TDs) setting a county career rushing record and David Vickers (1,586 yards, 26 TDs) propelling Rancho Alamitos to a second straight unbeaten regular season--has dwarfed the breakout year McNair has enjoyed.

Aided by the blocking of junior tackle Lenny Vandermade and senior guard Scott Panique, McNair’s 1997 rushing total has surpassed the combined yardage gained in his sophomore and junior seasons (1,441). He has scored 21 touchdowns.

“We have thought about winning back-to-back titles and we are excited,” McNair said. “We think we can do it. If we can, it will be special because no one at school has done that [undefeated in football].

“I’ve done almost everything I’ve wanted to at Mater Dei. The only thing left is winning the title again. I know I am big part of team and a leader; there have been times I’ve had to make a key play or something like that.”

Quarterback John Leonard and receivers Joey Boese, Alex Romero and Ismael Lopez have gotten better as the season went on, and can trouble the best secondaries. But without a doubt, how well McNair plays will determine how far Mater Dei goes.

“He has developed so much since his sophomore year,” Rollinson said. “Last year we felt he would be the starting fullback and slowly wean him to become a tailback. We still had James Farley, and in respect to him after a successful junior year, we wanted him to carry the ball. But when James came on as defensive back, it allowed Mike more tailback opportunities. And he took off about game four.

“This year there was no question; we went into the year saying Mike had to touch the ball 20-plus times, and if that didn’t appease the others, they wouldn’t see the field.”

True to his word, Rollinson has gotten McNair an average of 22.5 carries per game. He is averaging 188.5 yards per game rushing.

Now Rollinson, McNair and the rest of Mater Dei can see a very big finish line in front of them.

It’s up to the Monarchs to get there.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Football Playoff Facts

Here’s a look at what’s ahead in prep football playoffs:

* Format: There are 12 divisions, based on school enrollment, which begin play this week in a four-round, single-elimination format. Neutral fields are preferred from the second round on, but a host team can use its home field if it can safely provide for the anticipated crowd.

* Dates: Most first-round games will be Friday, with a few on Thursday or Saturday. Quarterfinals will be Nov. 28 and semifinals are Dec. 5-6. The Division II, III, IV, VI, VIII and XI finals are Friday, Dec. 12. The Division I, V, VII, IX and X finals are Saturday, Dec. 13. The Division I final is at 7:30 p.m. at the Coliseum, and will be broadcast Sunday, Dec. 14 on Fox West Sports 2.

* Admission: Through the semifinals, tickets are $7 for adults, $3 for children under 12. Students from the competing schools in all divisions will have an opportunity to purchase a $3 pre-sale ticket. If the student waits until game day, admission is $7.

All final games, except the game at the Coliseum, will be $8 general admission, $4.50 for children under 12, and $4.50 for student pre-sale. The Division I final will be $7 for adults, $3 for children and $3 for students.

Schedule Changes Tustin, expected to contend for a Southern Section football title, will kick off the playoffs a day earlier than originally scheduled when it hosts Valencia on Thursday.

The Tillers (10-0) are seeded second in Division V. Valencia is 3-6-1. The game will begin at 7 p.m.

A time change affects the Pacifica-Sunny Hills matchup Friday. It will be played at 7 p.m. at Buena Park.

Other games scheduled for Friday are to kick off at 7:30 p.m.